Beautiful Bermuda
by Jenubis
Summary: A tale of a Man who has traveled to the Bermuda Island to play a Chess game!


**_ Jenubis_** - Chess has played a big part of my life ever since I learned how to play back in 9th grade. As a matter of fact, it's been my escape on many levels of emotional distress. I just hope that this story entertains you all.

**_{-Jenubis-}_**

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><p>Time was dwindling; my mind unsettled. It was now or never, I had to do something or else I was going to be decimated. Staring down, it was like watching little people move around in such a swift but, oddly rhythmical motion, like they were dancing. Every noise I heard seemed to tap out a rhythm to me. Boom, click. Boom, click. Boom, click.<p>

My goal is right there in front of me, I can see, no better yet I can TASTE what is mine it is so close! Boom, click. Boom, click. The rhythm had started moving quicker now, almost as fast as my heartbeat. Come on, just a few more precise and quick movements and you are mine! Boom, click. Boom, click. So close, so very, very close!

"Checkmate!" I all but screamed the compound word. As if it had slipped my mind, I glanced over at my clock. "Two seconds left..." sitting back down, I took a deep breath. "Whew! Hahaa!" Smiling, I shook my opponent's hand who, reluctantly, returned the kind gesture. Tomorrow was the finals! I grabbed my jacket and slipped the earphones of my iPod Shuffle into my ears as I left the battleground.

Instead of going straight to my hotel, I decided to look at Bermuda a little closer. With all of the rumors of the Bermuda Triangle being this venomous place of death and disappearance, I was expecting... well, a lot less. The whole island was a beautiful, luscious place full of vigor. There are speed boats at the beach to my right, a booming, but still rather small, town to my left full of bars, shopping malls and lord knows what else! I had two more days left at this alluring resort, and I had wasted most of my time here just hanging around at the hotel!

So I figured "Time for me to head to town!" I was going to look around for some interesting souvenirs to take back home. After all, I had a nice bit of money saved up. It wouldn't hurt to splurge some on good memories right? Besides, I'm the runner up guaranteed so it isn't like I won't have a nice bit of cash given back to me.

After about two hours of window shopping, I had finally broken down and bought an eighty dollar necklace with an onyx cross pendant. The pendant had silver linings on the ends of it and in the middle; the onyx sparkled in the ray of light beaming down from the sun. I decided to buy this cross and wear it in my grandmother's memory, as she passed away almost a year before this very day. My grandmother always loved crosses in particular. Even though I was never as much into religion as she was, I, too enjoyed the comfort of having a cross around my neck. There was just something about the symbol that would put everyone at ease.

Glancing out of the sunroof of the four story shopping mall I was at, I noticed the sun was going down. After I had purchased my necklace, I decided to go out to the beach and find myself a nice spot to just unwind and relax as the sun was setting in the distance. The water's reflection of the purple and pink sky was absolutely ravishing! This place was too good to be true, I never really wanted to go home! Catching myself getting too comfortable, I hopped up and started walking to the boardwalk before I fell asleep in the sand.

Lots of noise was going on, I reckon everyone partied every night here. It wasn't too bad, especially since I always managed to see something new and interesting every time. The other night I saw a magician chop a girl's body in half and she crawled away in separate pieces! Luckily, the magician caught her and put her back together. Then, last night, I had a great time listening to some locals play some relaxing tribal music. I wonder what I would get to see tonight?

All of a sudden someone poked me! I stopped thinking and turned around, only to be pulled away and taken onto a nearby stage. Nervous, I looked desperately at the woman who kidnapped me. She only smiled, waved her hand at the small, but noticeably growing, crowd in front of us.

"Who here wants to PARRRTY?" The woman yelled, she didn't even need the mic! The crowd roared with excitement. The short, redheaded lady turned and winked at me. "All you gotta do is move with the music!" She whispered.

So all I had to do was dance? Right on! Oh wait, I can't dance! That could be a problem? No! I won't let it be a problem tonight! This is my time to shine, my time to get out and live! To lose myself in such a wonderland that embodied the essence of perfection! Beautiful Bermuda, here I am! I danced, and I danced, and I danced. There was disco, rock, punk, dance, funk, and not a single style stopped me from getting my groove on!

Realizing I had to get some rest for the final match in the morning, I bid thee farewell to my new anonymous pals. Who knows? Maybe I'd see them again before I had to head home. My hotel room was nice and comfortable, compared to the high temperatures and chilly wind outside. This was definitely my night.

Greeted by the usual alarm clock, I decided to throw it against the wall and lay back down. Around five minutes later I realized I really needed to take a shower before I went to my final battle, so I got up and gathered some clean clothes. I did my morning routine; shower, drank some coffee and read the paper, then I brushed my teeth and headed out the door. Today was the big day!

The battle was going to be held in a different place, somewhere much closer to my hotel today. When I reached the building I was directed to the elevator, so over I went. Once the elevator's doors opened up, I stepped in and looked outside of the marvelous glass windows.

"Oh my!" I was pretty sure my jaw hit the floor. The man in the elevator with me merely chuckled and said "Ti's a great view, is it not?" I simply nodded my head in absolute adoration of the sight before my eyes. Ocean as far as the eye could see! It was simply magnificent to see the light radiate off the waves as they crashed down below. The more the elevator ascended, the more the people below me transformed into ants.

"We're here, sir. Please, take a seat and wait for your opponent." He meant adversary, but I'll let it slide this time. I was still in awe about the amazing view one could get from the top of this building. A man could see the whole island for what it's worth, and believe me that is one penny even the most noble of philanthropists would have a hard time letting go.

The calm before the storm. My nerves were starting to run berserk. Luckily I taught myself how to meditate and calm down before every war. Inhaling deep, then exhaling slowly. I closed my eyes. In, out. No more thoughts. My senses had to stay sharp. My eyes as clear as an eagle's, to catch the slightest mistake. My reflexes that of a snake's, to strike back with intense psychological venom. In, out. In, out. I opened my eyes just in time to see my rival inching to me out of the elevator.

Extending his hand, my enemy offered me good luck. I took the gesture as genuine, no need to intoxicate a clean battle with a sour greeting. Sitting down, the judge came over and set the time on our clocks. The war had just began, but I could see all too well that victory was somewhere over the mountain before me.

A King must give orders to his men if he wishes to fight. He has, at his disposal, fifteen lives to either throw away in the heat of battle or to protect as long as possible. What a job it must be to be the King! Should he show restraint, and try to manipulate the enemy into a wall for the victory? Or should he turn this war into a battle of attrition, sacrificing not only his soldiers but his beloved wife to achieve greatness?

The scum of society, they go to the front of the line. Although clean in nature, they lack proper grooming; proper riches. Proper training, even. The poor man seems to go places that even the rich man can not. For this, they are canon fodder, "Pawns" usually at the front of the attack.

A step up, we have the chivalrous nature of a Knight. Gallantly charging forward, he is the one who normally leads up the attack alongside his partner, the Bishop. Ah, what a hard worker the Bishop is. His mastery of weapons allows him to attack from afar, and remain safe. He is the King's right hand man for a reason, after all!

As if that is not enough, we have the courageous Rook. My, such a brave little bird. He flies away so nonchalantly, only to return to his King's side with wonderful information that will protect him. Do not be tricked by such a small creature, however, as knowledge is power.

Last, but certainly not least, the brave Queen who fights for her King's, no HER dominion's freedom! Such a young and beautiful woman should not be taken so lightly. She is no broad contempt with laying in bed with the enemy, oh no she is in it for the blood. A most clever assassin, most never know what's coming until it's far too late.

The Pawns rush forward! Each blocking the opposite one, locking up the battlefield. Knights lunge ahead! The Bishops move into play. The king swaps sides with the Rook to climb his castle and watch the chaos unfold below. Our white King has lost quite a few of his "Pawns", but his Knight seems to be taking care of the situation by ambushing the enemy Rook. The black Rook leads the Knight into a trap! Or did he? Our King's lightly-armored bishop rushes forward with a kill to the enemy Knight, forcing the black Rook to retreat for the time being! The white King orders for some reinforcements to the two brave soldiers, effectively sealing off anymore "attacks". For now, they and the Pawn's that support them are safe.

The black King seems to have a plan... but what is it? He must think with a swift mind... but the white King must use needle-like precision in a situation like this. One minute miscalculation and... No! The other black Knight has penetrated the white King's defenses! Quickly, the white King jumps out of the way of the attacking Knight. Unfortunately, one of our King's defenders was killed in the onslaught. No worries, the cannon fodder did it's job. The black Knight was harassed and attacked by the Rook, effectively knocking the Knight off of his gallant horse and onto the sword of his fallen victim. The white King decided to stay in cover for now, relying on his Rook to be his eyes.

The white Queen moved into position. Silently, she stalked her target: the black Bishop. In the grass she lay silently, waiting for just the right moment. The Bishop eases closer... closer... what a fool! He moved right in the way of his own "noble" leader! The white Queen quickly jumps up with her venomous dagger and stabs the Bishop in the neck. His brutal death was notably long and excruciating. The Black King could only watch from afar... helpless.

Black has lost his Knights and his Bishop as well as a few of his Pawns... what to do? He has the advantage of cannon fodder; should he use that? Yes... the black King chose to command his Pawns to rush the enemy King! He'll lose a few in the attack... but that fool of a leader will be left wide open to a flank from his last remaining Bishop, the black Rook and the alluring Queen. His only downfall is that he is leaving his own back completely unguarded... hopefully he can assassinate the white King before his own assailant arrives.

My heart started to pound. We were down to the last five minutes of the game, and all I could see to do was to push my attack onward. I was almost positive my march would be just fast enough to take out the enemy commander before my own commander was annihilated. However "almost" might as well be the exact opposite of a term of certainty.

Wars are fought much like Nations are led. You have the corrupt politicians, or in this case leaders, who tell the tools what to do, when to do, and how to do it. So the key to winning any major battle is the same as conquering another nation; take out the big beetle and the bugs will scatter. Wars are fought by making your plans before the battle and manipulating the enemy soldiers into a spot where YOU want them to be.

The white Bishop and Knight rush to the black King's flank, only to have him dodge their every attack. He's too good for them alone, they need help to capture him. The white King needs his Rook to defend or this fight would be over! But wait... doesn't white have a Queen? Where is she? Looking into the air, the white King spots a small blip of black smoke in the distance.

Deep within the woods of the battlefield, the two Queen's have brawled to a bitter end. They both lie dead, one poisoned and one scorched. They fell supporting the husbands that they love most. It takes a Sniper to kill a Sniper. A Shinobi to eliminate a Shinobi. Neither one would ever know who's sacrifice was in vain...

I stood up from the table and shook my rival's hand. Oddly enough, I had a feeling of accomplishment. I didn't win, but I didn't lose. We're both happy in the end, and neither of us seem to possess the innate scorn that usually arises from mental wars such as this. After genuinely wishing the best for one another, we go our separate ways.

My head is killing me, and with good reason. I had been estranged from the world from dawn till dusk, fighting a war of exhilarating but exhausting tactics. I just wanted to go back to my hotel and rest. Too bad I had to walk home.

When I managed to get up the three story building and into my room, I collapsed onto my soft, bed with a feather mattress and cursed my luck for having the only hotel whose elevators stopped working thirty minutes before my arrival. Soon after my eyelids fell down, only to rise when morning came in what seemed like minutes.

Last morning, last day at Beautiful Bermuda. I did my typical morning routines, I showered, drank some vanilla cappuccino and brushed my teeth. When I opened my door I happened to find a note attached to it, telling me to be at the beach around 1:00 in the afternoon. Glancing at my watch, I was already five minutes late.

Running to the beach, singling everything but absolutely nothing out, I trip in the sand and fall face first into a castle. Darn Rooks. Turning over on my back with my eyes closed, I felt something graze my lips. Was it a kiss? I open my eyes to see the dancing redhead kissing me! What a lovely surprise! I didn't fight back, I had no one waiting for me at home.

Oh yes, Beautiful Bermuda how I miss you so. You were indeed the greatest vacation of my life. Perhaps I will come visit you again someday... who knows? I would definitely love to see how the sunsets look on the water again, to see if you still gleam with such divine beauty. Only this time, I'd have to enjoy it with my dancing, outgoing, redheaded wife!


End file.
